Roots, Routes and Role Models

I breathed a massive sigh of relief when I finally closed the door behind me and sat down at home, on my own sofa, knowing that I’d made it. The season was over, it had been a success and I could finally take stock and rest.

It actually feels quite sad to be thinking and talking about flying in these terms, but I have to admit it’s been a hard season. The events I witnessed at Shoreham last year have changed the game entirely for us as display pilots and show organisers and although I really do hate to admit this, some of the shine has gone. It is definitely coming back but on more than one occasion I have found myself feeling tired, fed up and worried when before I would have just been enjoying myself, such is the burden of paperwork. I’ve wondered whether it’s all worth the effort and the risk and the pain, I’ve thought of stopping altogether as some I know have already done. Things have felt different up there, somehow more serious, more severe. I fear I’ve been smiling less than I really should when doing some of the most incredible things most people can’t even dream of being able to do.

There have been other times though where it’s all snapped back into clarity. I received an email from a young girl and her mother following one of my performances this year that actually reduced me to tears. Somehow, to them what I was doing was important – it was inspirational. My going out and performing against all my own personal odds hadn’t gone unnoticed and I found myself sobbing into my keyboard – it is all worth it. If all I ever do is inspire one person then will all have been worth it – I already know I’ve inspired and influenced many more than that. Flying is a selfish pastime as most of us know it, so to find ways in which to use it to give something back is the ultimate goal for me, and it seems I do sometimes get it right.

I’ve spoken at schools, universities, to groups of young women, to air cadets and to scout groups. I’ve stood up alongside other inspirational women at the tops of their fields to give schoolgirls pause for thought – who knows, maybe one or two who never even thought about science or technology or maths as career paths will be the next world-changers, the researchers and engineers transforming society. I am under no illusion that what I’m doing is extraordinary, but it’s also an incredible privilege to perhaps influence someone else to do truly amazing things.

The flying has been fun, lots of very varied shows flown alongside some of the most amazing people. This year I headed up to Scotland for the first time to display at the Scottish International Airshow, I performed at the RAF Cosford Airshow for the first time and I took a booking for my first international show in Ireland (sadly the weather meant I didn’t make it over there but it was still a milestone booking). I also displayed a different aeroplane for the first time, on behalf of its owner – one of my ultimate bucket list aircraft, the Yak 50. I spent time training with the most incredible guys to qualify for and then carry out my first ever formation display this season. It has been a year of firsts. Big, big things have been happening and I’m working very hard to continue pushing forward, look out for some really exciting things to come for next season…

Between displays, work and finding time to breathe, I’ve also been writing a bit more, albeit not on here. I will have my second ‘air test’ article published in Pilot magazine very soon, this time a full-blown review of the Yak 50 with some stunning air-to-air photographs.

So how has it been really? It has been gruelling, terrifying, painful, rewarding, amazing and the most incredible privilege. I still love display flying and am finding myself in a position where I’m beginning to believe that one day I may actually attain the unattainable. If I had ever said to my parents when I was little, that one day I wanted to fly spitfires they would have taken me to one side and told me not to be silly. People from poor backgrounds don’t get to fly, let alone fly warbirds – right? Who knows, one day I may make that dream come true, I’m certainly going to give it a go, and meanwhile I will just make do with flying badass aerobatic displays – next year’s main goal is to grin more while I’m doing it. Just watch.

14 Comments

Barry Reynolds
on October 16, 2016 at 6:19 pm

Thank you for your interesting end of season analysis. I’ve been an on-line follower for some time and, along with many others, have been in awe of your magnificent achievements. You should be very proud of them all, including being a role model for all those who aspire to follow your passion for flying. Well done, and enjoy your time off.

Good Afternoon Lauren, Thank you for sharing your views, your flying and your tears of your 2016 season with us, I queit understand where you was coming from re Shoreham. I was at Shoreham that fateful day helping on the Vulcan to the Sky stand and i do not want to hear or see anything like it again, a few weeks later i watched your display in awe at Old Sarum airshow. I have never seen such a brillant display in such young hands. Well done to you and your team for going out of their way thst day to show flying is still so much fun in the shadow of tragedy, weeks earlier.
This year it has been a very testing time for all display pilots, airshow organisations who assemble people and aircraft for this shows. Now under the watchful eye of the CAA, it must be very hard now paperwork and submitting your display routine for them to authorise it.
Do not stop your enjoyment unless you stop enjoying it, but as you wrote about the little girl you are a “Very good roll model” to the young girls of today, and the youth of this country.
Sorry fir the rambling, I hope to see you again in 2017, take care, fly safe

Lauren
If what you are doing was easy you’d only be a part of a homogenized mass; like wind surfers, skiers, and skateboarders. Flying is different and you are proving that to be true. America is watching and is being impressed. Thank you for sharing your season of flight with all of us. We look forward to following your upward success next year.

Well done Lauren for a great year. I hope you get a chance to feedback to the CAA about any impact of the new regs. It is increasingly tough for high performance aircraft to stay within the CAA regs as well as slaloming between all the ‘no over-fly’ areas that a lot of small venues have. It may become impossible for some of the small venues to host a/c which display at 300kts plus. This winter’s wash-up will be interesting.

Lauren you’re an inspiration and a joy to many of us – to me in particular because as I told you a while ago I was lined up for a position with an aerobatic display team flying Pitts in the seventies and they were unable to go ahead as the sponsor didn’t think a woman would project the ‘necessary’ macho image. So I delight in every moment you’re in the air doing it for everyone who aspires to fly and faces difficulties, whether gender, financial, racial or physical. I see you as our champion. Thank you for your efforts Lauren, you win for us all.

For aviation enthusiasts like myself, it is so important that pilots like you continue to entertain us with your talents in opposition to those in authority who try to destroy ‘airshows’ for whatever twisted reasoning they have and usually try to use the situation to increase fees to fill their own coffers without any real reason or justification.
Please don’t feel despondent, I for one just love what you do. Keep up the great work
Bob

It must have been a difficult year for you and all in the airshow world. Hopefully the post season review will bring back a degree of sanity. I gave up display flying a few years ago after 55 seasons and still miss the buzz but for me the increase in bureaucracy and over regulation would be intolerable. I hope to see you at the BADA conference. Best wishes for your 2017 season.

What an excellent resume of your display season Lauren but sadly I was unable to see you display this year. I do hope you can put your doubts aside and continue with your superb display flying – and attain your ultimate ambition. I’d love to be there to capture your smile when you do!
Good luck!

Thank you for all your hard work and dedication Lauren. You are a joy to see in the air and a delight to chat with on the ground.
Our world has been shaken badly, but with young aviators like yourself, I am optimistic that the airshow scene will continue to thrill the crowds for many years.
You are greatly respected by many operators and I don’t doubt that you will grace our skies in a Spitfire someday.
Enjoy a relaxing winter and I look forward to seeing you next season.

Good for you Lauren. The post-Shoreham world of display flying is one I hardly recognise, but we have to make it safer, alas acres of paperwork probably isn’t the answer. I miss flying, should be airborne again next year, but nothing as adrenaline fuelled as your displays. Having been one of those that was inspired by someone’s stories, I can testify what a difference people like you make to the young. It’s important to show that you can do anything provided you have a dream and work at it. I hope to get back to the Air Cadets and give Air Experience to perhaps ignite a spark in a youngster’s mind to aim high, regardless of chosen path. Keep it.

Hi Lauren, I was fortunate enough to see you display at ABingdon this year, and even more rewarded to speak to you, thanks to being part of the organisational team, albeit in a small role. I have to back everyone elses comments on the sheer enthusiasm that you seem to generate from your displays, and backed up also by you own words here. Yes Shoreham was a tragedy, and lesson had to be learned, but I sincerely think that we can move on into a new regime, where everything will be ok. Thanks again for the entertainment, and look forward to seeing you at Abingdon next year, perhaps with the Yak as well as the Pitts!